Three knife trimming machine

ABSTRACT

A trimming machine arranged to trim three edges of a folded, multi-page booklet at the speed at which said booklets are discharged from a printing press of the type which prints, and glues or stitches, said booklets which are similar to a signature form. The machine has two trimming units respectively having paths of movement therethrough substantially at a right angle to each other and conveyor means have drive arrangements and sections operable to feed the booklets to the knife means of said trimmming units substantially at press speed and otherwise being operable to move the booklets at speeds slower than press speed to effect a certain amount of accumulation of said booklets followed by successive separation of individual booklets to the trimming means of said units at press speeds and thereby facilitate the trimming of said edges thereof.

United States Patent [1 1 Faltin [451 May 20, 1975 1 THREE KNIFE TRIMMING MACHINE [75] Inventor: Hans G. Faltin, York, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Advance Enterprises, Inc., York, Pa.

[22] Filed: Jan. 9, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 432,033

[52] US. Cl. 83/155; 83/88; 83/152;

83/4042; 83/422; 83/4352; 83/500; 83/925 A [51] Int. Cl. B26d 11/00 [58] Field of Search 83/404, 404.1, 404.2, 404.3, 83/408, 407, 925 A, 500, 501, 155, 435.2, 422,88, 152; 11/1 ET Primary ExaminerFrank T. Yost Attorney, Agent, or FirmC. l-lercus Just [57] ABSTRACT A trimming machine arranged to trim three edges of a folded, multi-page booklet at the speed at which said booklets are discharged from a printing press of the type which prints, and glues or stitches, said booklets which are similar to a signature form. The machine has two trimming units respectively having paths of movement therethrough substantially at a right angle to each'other and conveyor means have drive arrangements and sections operable to feed the booklets to the knife means of said trimmming units substantially at press speed and otherwise being operable to move the booklets at speeds slower than press speed to effect a certain amount of accumulation of said booklets followed by successive separation of individual booklets to the trimming means of said units at press speeds and thereby facilitate the trimming of said edges thereof.

9 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures ATENIED MAY 2 019. 5

SHEET 10F 5 ATENTEB HAY 2 0 I975 SHEET 2 OF 5 PATENTED M05375 SHEET 3 BF 5 WRT gmgunmzmsrs SHEET h 0F 5 I III III h |l illl J ATENIED HAY 2 01975 SHEET 50? 5 THREE KNIFE TRIMMING MACHINE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION Applicants copending application Ser. No. 370600, filed June 18, 1973, entitled Paper Trimming Knife System, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,981, dated June 4, 1974, described and claims paper trimming mechanism per se of a type suitable for use in the trimming machine comprising the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The final trimming of books and particularly small booklets such as pamphlets or brochures comprising a limited number of pages folded upon themselves and secured together along one edge has herefore been a relatively slow, time consuming and costly operation. For many years, trimming the three sides of such booklets or pamphlets has constituted a separate operation.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to effect such trimming, for example, by guillotine type trimming machines in which individual or stacks of said type of booklets were clamped or otherwise held while the trimming occured, as an off-press operation.

In an effort to combine the trimming operation, with the printing operations, efforts have been made heretofore to utilize disc-type trimming knives cooperable with rotary anvils with which the knives effected a shearing operation. Trimming paper by circular knives having relatively smooth sharpened edges is satisfactory for purposes of trimming single webs or sheets or, under certain circumstances, trimming double sheets disposed in a laminated arrangement while the circular knife operates at relatively high speeds. However, when endeavoring to use smooth edged circular knives to trim laminated sheets such as pamphlets or booklets comprising more than several sheets while operating at high speed, there is a constant tendency for such multisheet arrangements to be pulled to varying degrees laterally from the intended path of movement and thereby producing crooked products, as well as leaving the front edge untrimmed.

Additional problems also arise when attempting to trim multi-page booklets and the like along one side,

for example, at speeds approaching press speed, and subsequently'change the direction of movement of said partially trimmed pamphlets for purposes of trimming knife for perforating paper, as distinguished from shearing it or having the knife cooperate with a circular anvil. U.S. Pat. No. 2771949 to Sigoda, dated Nove. 27, 1956 illustrates a shearing devise for trimming embroidery in which a serrated edge circular knife is employed for coaction with a stationary shearing edge but without suggesting such use for trimming paper at high speeds. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3293962, to Gianaris, dated Dec. 27, 1966 shows a circular cutter having serrated edges for cutting corrugated board but the teeth are not adapted to cooperate with any shearing anvil.

Machines to trim brochures and booklets of a limited number of pages have been developed and used heretofore for purposes of trimming the top and bottom sides of such items as they are discharged from a corss folder, but, such devices only crudely trim the folded items and the tucker of the machine doesnt always deliver the pieces in straight relation to the trimming means. Pin-prick holes and ragged, saw-like edges also are produced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a trimming machine specifically adapted to trim in succession and at high press speeds the side of multi-page pamphlets and booklets which is opposite other sides thereof, especially where a change in direction of movement of the pamphlets is involved and under circumstances where attempts are made to trim all of the three sides of a folded type pamphlet substantially at press speeds. Under such circumstances, it is the change in direction of movement of the pamphlets that produces the problems referred to and no substantially satisfactory means for accomplishing this at relatively high press speed have been developed to the present time, as fas as is known to applicant.

Although serrated edge circular knives have been developed for various uses heretofore, prior to the development of applicants invention comprising the subject matter of said aforementioned copending application, such prior developments have not suggested the use of circular knives having serrated edges for purposes of trimming the sides of multi-page pamphlets and booklets having one or more folded edges or sides and under situations where high speeds are desired. For example, the relatively old U.S. Pat. No. 167308, to Daniels, dated Aug. 31, 1875, illustrates a serrated edge circular the folded edge or side thereof and then simultaneously trim the top and bottom sides of said booklets or pamphlets by mechanism which includes a first and second trimming unit, one of said units having a single rotary knife which has a serrated edge cooperable with a circular anvil and the other unit having a pair of such cooperating circular knives and anvils, the knives having serrated edges disposed in shearing relationship with the anvils, and the trimmed sides of the products being smooth and straight as well as the opposite sides of the products respectively being parallel to each other.

It is another object of the invention to provide feed conveyors directed respectively to the first and second trimming units and operating at speeds arranged to form successive pamphlets or booklets in shingled arrangement, followed by other sections in the conveyors, which move substantially at press speed, for successive removal of the leading booklet in each shingled arrangement for separate and individual passage thereof through the trimming units at said press speed while the booklets are positively and accurately fed through the knife and anvil means of the trimming unit to effect accurate trimming of desired sides thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to arrange said trimming units in such manner that the path of movements of the booklets therethrough respectively are at substantially a right angle to each other but the change in direction of said booklets passing from one trimming unit to the other being effected and controlled by means which does not reduce the high speed of movement thereof, such as press speed.

It is another object of the invention to provide transfer conveyor means between said first and second trimming unit which comprise a perforated belt with which a vacuum unit is associated, said belt being mounted in cooperation with a fixed stop extending transversely to the path of discharge of the booklets from the first trimming unit, whereby the suction means effects positive guided movement of the booklets upon the perforated conveyor along a line controlled by said stop means to transfer the partially trimmed booklets to the second trimming unit.

It is a still further object of the invention to form certain of said conveyors by utilizing pairs of chains which havepusher lugs thereon at regular intervals and arranged to position the booklets transversely between said chains to insure positive feeding of said booklets along said conveyors in a timed manner.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a series of cooperating belts in each of said trimming units adjacent the trimming knives and anvils therein, said belts having opposed parallel and cooperating courses which firmly engage the upper and lower surfaces of booklets while moving past coacting knives and anvils to trim desired sides thereof, the drive means for the upper belts being operated at somewhat faster speed than that of the lower belts particularly to prevent upward movement of the trimmed booklets as they are discharged respectively from the trimming unit. To further insure such operation, at least the first trimming unit is provided with auxiliary scooter belts operable adjacent the discharge end of the opposing parallel courses of said upper and lower belts and operable to further insure that no upward movement of the trimmed booklets will occur.

Still another object of the invention is to provide transverse conveyor means between the discharge end of the first trimming unit and the inlet of the second trimming unit, the transfer conveyor having an upper operative surface which is at a lower level than the discharge path of partially trimmed booklets as they emerge from the first trimming unit and the drive means for said transfer conveyor being operable to move the upper course thereof at a speed slower than press speed at which the partially trimmed booklets are discharged from the first trimming unit, thereby permitting the partially trimmed booklets to be arranged in shingled fashion upon said transfer conveyor and the lower level of the upper course of said transfer conveyor providing adequate spce for such shingle accumulation of partially trimmed booklets to occur without interference with further discharge of booklets from said first trimming unit.

Ancillaryto the foregoing object, it is a further object to provide knock-down means adjacent the discharge end of the first trimming unit for purposes of engaging the partially trimmed booklets as individually discharged from the first trimming unit and insure that the same will be knocked-down onto said transfer conveyor of which the upper course is disposed at a lower level then the line of discharge from the first trimming unit, as described above.

It is still another object of the invention to employ circular knives having serrated edges in which all of the shearing edges on the teeth are disposed within a common plane comprising one surface of the knife, whereby the shearing edges along each tooth of the serrated edge of the circular knife accomplish the dual function of serving as an extention of the total cutting edge of the knife relative to the circumference thereof and the teeth of said serrated edge also acting as piercing means to prevent skidding or creeping of the multiple pages of the booklet away from the line of shear while being sheared at relatively high full press operating speed due to the firm positioning of all of the pages of the booklets with respect to each other as the initial piercing of the pages by the points of the knife progresses and finally effects shearing relationship with the anvil that cooperates with the rotary knife. In this regard, the shearing or cutting action also is very substantial in a direction somewhat perpendicular to the plane of the sheets and such shearing is effected in a downward as well as a longitudinal direction with respect to the surfaces of the sheets being trimmed by the shearing action of said teeth of the knife and the anvil which cooperates therewith.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an exemplary trimming machine operable at high speeds in accordance with the present invention and adapted to trim the side of a booklet opposite the folded edge or side thereof and the top and bottom sides of said booklet.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the machine as viewed from the upper side of FIG. 1 and showing the major elements of the feed conveyor and first trimming unit of said machine.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the machine as viewed from the right hand side of FIG. 1 and illustrating the transfer conveyor and second trimming unit.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged and somewhat diagrammatic elevation of the feed conveyor of the machine as illustrated in FIG. 2 and showing the manner in which booklets discharged from a press are arranged in shingle fashion upon said feed conveyor prior to being separated for delivery of individual booklets to said first trimming unit.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of additional discharge means on the first trimming unit shown in relation to the transfer conveyor and stop means which operates to change direction of movement of the partially trimmed booklets in passing from the first trimming unit to the second trimming unit.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the shingled arrangement of booklets upon a portion of the transfer conveyor which delivers partially trimmed booklets to the second trimming unit.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary end view of the discharge end of the first trimming unit and showing a portion of the transfer conveyor at a lower level than the plane in which the booklets are discharged from the first trimming unit to provide space to permit the shingling illustrated in FIG. 6 to be accomplished.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical elevation of a portion of the transfer conveyor and suction means associated therewith as viewed from the lower edge of FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the transfer conveyor and suction means illustrated in FIG. 8 as seen from the upper surface thereof.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged diagrammatic side elevation showing details of the driving means for the various elements of the feed conveyor and first trimming unit.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 but showing the drive mechanism for the transfer conveyor and second trimming unit in diagrammatic manner.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary vertical elevation on an enlarged scale over the preceding figures and illustrating the knife and anvil arrangement comprising the trimming means of one of said trimming units in which the top and bottom sides of the booklets may be simultaneously trimmed.

FIG. 13 is an end view of the knife and anvil arrangement shown in FIGS. 12 and 14 as seen from the left end of each.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary elevation showing a single knife and anvil arrangement employed in the other trimming unit for purposes of trimming a single edge of the booklet which is opposite the folded edge thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring especially to FIGS. 1-3, the present inven' tion comprises a frame which, with reference to FIG. 1, shows an entrance end 12 and a discharge end 14 respectively to receive printed and folded multisheet pamphlets or booklets l6, and the like, examples of which are illustrated in several ways in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, as the same are discharged from the printing press, not shown, upon which they are printed and formed into folded, signature-like products, at the speed of said press, and, after trimming all sides thereof except the folded edge or side, the completed products are discharged at 14, onto any suitable means such as a conveyor 18 which, for example, may carry the products to packaging or other operations, as desired.

In its preferred embodiment, the entire machine derives driving power from the printing press to which a shaft 20, shown in fragmentary manner in FIG. 1, is directly connected to a suitable driven shaft of said press. The shaft 20 operates through a right-angle gear box 22 to drive a drive shaft 24 of the machine, the opposite ends of which are suitably supported within appropriate bearings in frame 10. For safety, a shear coupling is included in the shaft 24, as indicated at 26 in FIG. 1.

The frame 10, adjacent the entrance end 12, also supports a feed conveyor which is of a duplex type and includes a first section 28 and a second section 30, in succession with each other. From FIG. 1, it will be seen that the first section 28 of the feed conveyor comprises a pair of chains 29 which extend around sprockets 32 and 34 which respectively are mounted upon shafts 36 and 37 which are mounted in appropriate bearings in opposite sides of frame 10. Shaft 37 is driven by a sprocket 40 which appears in FIG. 2 in coincidence with sprocket 34. Sprocket 40 is driven by a small sprocket 42 which is connected to first jack shaft 38, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10. Jack shaft 38 also supports another sprocket 44 which drives a sprocket chain 46 which drives a driven sprocket 48 which is connected to shaft 50, the opposite ends of which are also supported by the frame 10.

The first jack shaft 38 is driven directly by the drive shaft 24 of the machine which derives its power from the press, at press speeds. A sprocket 52 on the outer end of drive shaft 24 is connected by a sprocket chain 54 to another sprocket gear 56 which is fixed to first jack shaft 38 and derives its power therefrom.

The first section 28 of the feed conveyor comprises chains 29 which have a plurality of pusher lugs 58 thereon in transverse alignment and projecting upwardly therefrom for purposes of engaging the trailing ends of the printed and folded pamphlets or booklets 16 as they are discharged from the press. Although the drive shaft 24 is driven substantially at press speed by the shaft 20, the ratio of the small driving sprocket 42 relative to sprocket 40 which drives shaft 37 reduces the speed of the first section 28 of the feed conveyor to a substantially lower speed than that at which the items 16 are received from the press. For example, the first section 28 of the feed conveyor is arranged to move approximately at half the press discharge delivery speed, whereby the printed and folded pamphlets or booklets l6 become arranged in shingled fashion upon said first section 28 of the conveyor, as shown in exemplary manner in FIG. 4.

In contrast to the first section 28 of said conveyor, the second section of the feed conveyor preferably operates substantially at the same speed at which the press delivers the items 16 to the trimming machine for purposes of separating the endmost item 16 from the shingled arrangement thereof on first section 28 of the conveyor in order that the items 16 will be separated from each other upon the second section 30 of the feed conveyor. Preferably, the second section 30 of the feed conveyor also comprises a pair of chains 60 which extend around sprockets 62 and 64, which are supported upon shaft 50 driven by sprocket 48 and the chain 46 thereof, as described above. The second section 30 of the feed conveyor also is provided with a plurality of pusher lugs 66, which are similar to pusher lugs 58, and are disposed in transverse alignment between the chains 60 and are suitably afiixed thereto. The lugs 66 also preferably are spaced longitudinally along the sec- I ond section 30 of the feed conveyor a distance slightly greater than the length of the booklets 16 which are propelled by said pusher lugs, whereas the lugs 58 of the first section 28 of the feed conveyor preferably are spaced apart shorter distances then the length of the booklets 16, as illustrated in exemplary manner in FIG. 4.

From the foregoing, it thus will be seen that the first section 28 of the feed conveyor operates at a speed which permits a limited amount of compacting of the booklets 16, while the faster speed of the second section 30 of the feed conveyor moves the booklets 16 substantially at the speed at which they are delivered from the press for feeding the same to the first trimming unit 68. This differential in speed between the first and second sections of the feed conveyor is provided for the purpose of insuring accurate positioning of the booklets 16 within the first trimming unit 68, as distinquished from feeding the booklets 16 at press delivery speed directly from the press into the unit 68. The spacing of the booklets by the pusher lugs on the respective sections of the feed conveyor contributes to the more accurate positioning of the delivery of the booklets to the first trimming unit in addition to other advantages which have been found to exist.

The first trimming unit 68 is operated by a second jack shaft 70 and a third jack shaft 72. These jack shafts respectively are supported in appropriate bearings at opposite sides of the frame 10. The second jack shaft 70 is driven by shaft 50 through the medium of gears 74 and 76 respectively affixed to shafts 50 and 70, as illustrated in FIG. 2 and, on a larger scale, in FIG. 10. The gears 74 and 76 are of equal diameter and equal number of teeth for operation of the shafts 50 and 70 at identical speeds.

The meshed engagement of gears 74 and 76 insures positive desired speed relationship between second section 30 of the feed conveyor and the first trimming unit 68. This is made possible by the fact that a sprocket 82 is fixed to shaft 70 for purposes of driving a sprocket chain 84 which extends around and drives the sprocket gear 86 which is fixed to the third jack shaft 72 to drive the same. Due to the meshed gears 74 and 76, the directional rotation of sprocket gear 86 is reversed to that of the driven sprocket 48 by which the upper course of the second section of feed conveyor 28 is driven toward the first trimming unit 68 in order that the toothed gear 88, which is fixed to shaft 72 and rotates in the same direction as sprocket gear 86 will rotate toothed gear 90, with which it meshes in counterclockwise direction. Gear 90 is fixed to anvil shaft 92 which also carries an additional toothed gear 94 which meshes with toothed gear 96 which is fixed to knife shaft 98.

The anvil shaft 92 and knife shaft 98 respectively are mounted in suitable bearings carried in the opposite sides of frame 10. Also, said shafts, at least for a substantial portion of their length, are of greater diameter than most of the aforementioned shafts. Basically, these shafts and the knife and anvil respectively carried thereby are preferably similar to the corresponding elements of applicants copending application Ser. No. 3706000, filed June 18, 1973, referred to above. For full description of the details of the same, attention is directed to said application but, for general purposes of describing the present invention, attention is directed to FIGS. 13 and 14 wherein it will be seen that the rotary anvil 100 has a transverse planar face to provide a sharp circular edge with which the circular knife 102 coacts in shearing relationship. The knife 102 is springpressed axially to insure close shearing engagement between the planar face of the knife 102 which provides flat sides for each of the teeth of the serrated periphery of the knife 102, the surface of said teeth opposite the planar faces thereof being beveled to provide sharp apex points on the teeth. As explained in said copending application, the angularly related edges of said teeth subtend a relatively sharp angle, such as of the order of about 60 and said edges are beveled with respect to the planar surface of the knife, thereby greatly extending the total extent of shearing edge, as well as providing a substantial extent of so called radial or downward extending cutting effect incident to cooperating with the planar face of the anvil 100. The sharp points of the teeth progressively pierce the superimposed sheets comprising each booklet and thereby maintain the same in smooth, accurately aligned position which eliminates substantially completely any possibility of the booklet sides which are being trimmed from deviating from the desired trim line during the shearing operation. Further details of such function are found in said copending application.

Further to assist in maintaining accurate positioning of booklets 16 while being sheared by the anvil 100 and circular knife 102, which incidentally respectively are keyed to their shafts 92 and 98, the first trimming unit 68 is provided with a plurality of cooperating upper feed belts 106 and lower feed belts 108, a plurality of each of said belts being provided as clearly shown in FIG. 1. Said belts are arranged so as to have opposing, parallel courses 110, best shown in FIG. .10, which extend along and determine the line of feed of the booklets 16 past the anvil 100 and knife 102. The belts 106 and 108 of each set thereof are transversely spaced as clearly shown in FIG. 1 and all of them are disposed midway between the opposite sides of the frame 10 as viewed in FIG. 1, while the knife 102 is disposed nearer one side of the frame then the other and the same is true with respect to the anvil in the first trimming unit 68 which, in the specific illustration herein is adapted and arranged to trim the sides of the booklets which are opposite the folded edges thereof, as distinguished from the operation of the second trimming unit 112, details of which are described hereinafter and in which the top and bottom sides of the booklets are trimmed simultaneously. It is to be understood however that the first trimming unit may be arranged if desired to trim the top and bottom sides of the booklets and the second trimming unit 112 may then be arranged to trim only the single sides of the booklets which are opposite the folded edges, as desired, and within the purview of the present invention.

The upper belts 106 of the first trimming unit 68 preferably are evenly spaced transversely, as shown in FIG. 1, and are disposed around driving pulleys 114 and idler pulleys 116 and 118 which are best shown in FIG. 10. Said pulleys are mounted upon driving shaft 120 which is provided on one end thereof with a driven sprocket 122 which is connected by a sprocket chain 124 to driving sprocket 126 which is fixed to shaft 72, as clearly shown in FIG. 10. From said figure, it also will be seen that the driven sprocket 122 has a smaller diameter than driving sprocket 126, whereby the surface speed of the belts 106 is appreciably greater than that of the press speed at which the booklets are delivered to the first trimming unit 68.

The lower feed belts 108 have the upper courses 110 thereof slightly longer than the opposing lower courses of the upper belts 106, as shown in FIG. 10. Said belts extend around driving pulleys 128 and idler pulleys 130 and 132. Driving pulleys 128 are mounted upon driven shaft 134 which is mounted in bearings at its opposite ends respectively provided in opposite sides of the frame 10. The idler pulleys 130 are mounted upon an appropriate shaft which also extends between the opposite sides of the frame 10 and idler pulleys 132 are mounted upon shaft 136. Preferably, the idler pulleys 130 are in the nature of tensioning pulleys and are mounted conventionally for that purpose, as are the idler pulleys 116 for the upper belts 106.

The driven shaft 134 is actuated by a gear 138, which meshes with gear that is fixed to shaft 120 that is driven by the third jack shaft 72, as described above. The gears 138 and 140 are of equal diameter and have the same numbers of teeth, thereby insuring that the belts 106 and 108 are driven at the same surface speed.

The delivery end of the upper and lower feed belts 106 and 108 is arranged with an additional discharge means driven by pulley 128 around which a belt 142 extends for purposes of driving a plurality of rolls 144 of limited width, as seen in FIG. 1. Belt 142 also extends around pulley 146 affixed to shaft 148 which is driven by shaft 134.

A series of upper belts 150, referred to as scooter belts, extend around driving pulleys 152 and idler pulleys 154 mounted on shaft 156, the pulleys 154 being substantially larger than pulleys 152 for purposes of additionally supporting knock-down members 158, for purposes to be described. With reference to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the belts also are provided with tensioning rollers 160.

The belts 150, referred to above as scooter belts, and the drive arrangement therefor are so arranged that the surface speed thereof is a small percentage faster than that of the upper and lower feed belts 106 and 108. The

principal purpose of the scooter belts 150 is to hold the booklets on rolls 144 and also to insure the position thereof for engagement by the knock-down members 158. Further, the speed of the belts 106 and 108 preferably is about 20 percent faster than the second section 30 of the feed conveyor to insure removal of the booklets from engagement by the pusher lugs 66. Therefore, the scooter belts 158 direct the very rapidly moving booklets onto the transfer conveyor 162 which moves at a right angle to that of the path of travel of the booklets through the first trimming unit 68. It will be seen from FIGS. and 7 that the upper course of the tranfer conveyor 162 is disposed a short distance below that of the lower course of the belts 150, for example, for purposes of providing an accumulating space 164 which is shown in exemplary manner in FIGS. 5 and 7.

The booklets 16 are discharged from the first trimming unit 68 at a speed no less than press speed. By way of example, this speed may be such that as high as 25,000 booklets per hour, or higher, are discharged. Said discharge rate is controlled solely by the speed of the pieces delivered by the press because the functions and capabilities of the trimming machine comprising the present invention are capable of accommodating such speeds of the press and the exemplary speed indicated above is solely for purposes of illustration and not restriction. Such illustration is adequate to indicate however that such speeds are quite high and in order that the individual discharging booklets, as knockeddown by the members 158, will be suitably controlled and positioned as they discharge onto the transfer conveyor 162, the machine is equipped with an upstanding, elongated stop 166 which, as illustrated in FIG. 9, may substantially be in the shape of a structural angle member of suitable length and having a vertical flange of adequate height. Also, as further shown in FIG. 5, an appropriate baffle 168 is provided to cooperate with at least the portion of the stop 166 which is directly opposite the path of discharging booklets fromthe first trimming unit 68.

Further to control the positioning of the booklets l 16 upon transfer conveyor 162 as discharged in sequence from the first trimming unit 68, the transfer conveyor 162 preferably is a belt formed from flexible strip material, such as rubber or other suitable form of belting which is provided with a preferably regular pattern of perforations 170 which are shown in exemplary manner in FIG. 1 and, on a larger scale, in FIG. 8. The conveyor 162 is mounted around a pair of similar supporting rolls 172 and 174, the roll 174 being driven by a sprocket 176 which is suitably connected, by means to be described, to a right angle gear box 178 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Said gear box derives its power from the third jack shaft 72 and, by suitable gearing, operates drive shaft 180.

The speed at which the transfer conveyor 162 open ates is substantially less than the press speed and consequently is less than the speed at which the booklets 16 are discharged from the first trimming unit 68. Accordingly, the booklets are positioned upon the conveyor 162 in shingled fashion as shown in exemplary manner in FIGS. 6 and 7. This function is similar to that by which the booklets initially are arranged in shingled fashion upon the first section 28 of the feed conveyor. In order to secure the booklets upon said conveyor however, especially in view of the high speed at which they are discharged onto the same, the conveyor 162 is provided with suction means in the form of a relatively broad, shallow vacuum chamber 182, A desired degree of vacuum is continuously provided by a blower 184 which is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The upper wall of the chamber 182 is provided with a series of slots 184, for example, which preferably are longitudinally aligned with the rows of perforations 170 as best shown in FIG. 9. For purposes of illustrating the degree of vacuum, it has been found that at least one operable range is effected by the fan 183 moving substantially 140 cubic feet of air per minute which produces approximately 1.25 ounces of vacuum per square inch through the perforations 170. This is a relatively low range of vacuum but has been found to maintain the booklets l6 accurately in shingled fashion upon the conveyor 162 in accurate alignment with the elongated stop 166, whereby the booklets are in accurately arrangement to be delivered to the second trimming unit 112.

The second trimming unit is shown in plan view in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 illustrates the same in side elevation. FIGS. 6 and 7 also are pertinent to the second trimming unit, and the principal drive means for the conveyors, trimming mechanism and the like is best shown, somewhat in diagrammatic manner in FIG. 11. In general, the details, function and operation of the second trimming unikt is very similar to the first trimming unit 68 except that, whereas the first trimming unit has only a single knife and rotary anvil, the second trimming unit has a pair of knives and cooperating anvils arranged in axially spaced relationship to each other, as shown in FIG. 12. Forpurposes of providing at least a general description of the second trimming unit however, the following is set forth but certain details of the description of the first trimming unit included in the foregoing are relied upon to explain the details and operation of the second trimming unit.

As indicated above, the transfer conveyor 162 is of the vacuum type and relies upon the vacuum, as distinguished from pusher lugs, to advance the shingled arrangement of booklets 16 disposed thereon, as shown in FIG. 7 and at the right hand portion of FIG. 6, in fragmentary manner. For example, the belt 162 travels atsubstantially half the speed at which the booklets 16 are delivered thereto, thus forming the shingled arrangement, as described above. As said arrangement of booklets 16 travel in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 6 however, said booklets are engaged by supplemental conveyor 186, which is similar to the second section 30 of the feed conveyor of the first trimming unit and comprises a pair of chains upon which similar pusher lugs 188 are affixed in spaced relationship longitudinally, said spaces preferably being slightly greater than the length of the booklets 16 which are received thereon. Preferably, yieldable brush means 190, see FIG. 3, are disposed above the conveyor 186 to place a slight drag upon the booklets and thereby insure the engagement of the trailing edges thereof by said pusher bars 188.

Also, drive shaft 191, driven by means to be described, has a sprocket 192 thereon around which sprocket chain 194 extends said chain also extending around a smaller diameter sprocket 196 fixed to shaft 198 upon which sprockets 200, around which chains 186 extend at the delivery end of the chain conveyor and sprockets 202, on shaft 204, supports chains 186 at the pick-up end of said chain conveyor. Due to the difference in diameters of the .sprockets 192 and 196,

the chain conveyor 186 moves at a much faster speed than the transfer conveyor 162 but is considered to be part of the transfer system for the second trimming umt.

Preferably, the speed of the chain conveyor 186 is at least twice as great as that of transfer belt 162 for purposes of pusher lugs 188 completely separating the leading booklet from the forward end of the shingle arrangement thereof, as illustrated in FIG. 6, and moving the booklets l6 rapidly forward to the upper and lower feed belts 206 and 208 which are disposed in axially spaced relationship with respect to the pair of trimming knives 210 and the coacting circular anvils 212 therefor. By means to be described, the belts 206 and 208 have a surface speed preferably of the order of approximately 20 or 25 per cent faster than that of the chain conveyor 186 for purposes of positively removing the trailing ends of the booklets 16 from engagement with the pusher lugs 188, whereby the pusher lugs can travel around the sprockets 200 to the lower courses thereof and thereby interfere in no way with the trailing ends of the booklets as they are being delivered to the trimming knives and anvils.

The drive means for the second trimming unit 112 comprise, in addition to the main drive shaft 180, a fourth jack shaft 212 which has a sprocket 214 thereon driven by sprocket chain 216 that extends around a driving sprocket 218 on shaft 180. Jack shaft 212 has a pair of additional sprockets 220 and 222 fixed thereto, in axially spaced relationship to each other, as shown in FIG. 1, the sprocket 220 being connected to sprocket 224 on fifth jack shaft 226 by means of sprocket chain 228.

The fifth jack shaft 226 also has a gear 230 connected thereto which meshes with gear 232 on shaft 198, by means of which the chain conveyor 186, as well as drive shaft 191 therefor ared driven. Without reciting details of the numbers of teeth on the various sprockets, etc., the relative speeds of the transfer belt 162, chain conveyor 186, and feed belts 206 and 208 are substantially the same as described above.

The upper and lower feed belts 206 and 208 are driven by sprocket 222 on shaft 212 around which sprocket chain 234 extends to drive smaller sprocket 236 that is connected to shaft 238 upon which pulleys 240 are mounted to drive the upper feed belts 206 which also extend around idler pulleys 242 and 244. Shaft 238 also supports a spur gear 246 which meshes with spur gear 248 that is fixed to shaft 250 upon which pulleys 252 are mounted for driving the lower feed belts 208. Said belts also extend around idler pulleys 254 and 256 which are mounted on appropriate shafts clearly shown. The idler pulleys 244 of the upper feed belts 206 and idler pulleys 256 of the lower feed belts 208 preferably are mounted in such manner as to comprise tensioning rollers of conventional type and shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 without reference characters.

The pair of trimming knives 210 are mounted upon shaft 254 in transversely spaced relationship as shown in FIG. 12 for example. As in regard to the knife 102 of the first trimming unit, the knives 210 are spring pressed for shearing engagementwith the outer faces of the rotary anvils 212 which are mounted upon shaft 256. The opposite ends of the shafts 254 and 256 are mounted in appropriate bearings respectively provided in opposite sides of the frame in the area of the second trimming unit. The knives 210 and anvil 212 preferably are of the type shown and described in the applicants copending application referred to above and the function of the same is to simultaneously trim the opposite sides of the booklets 16 as the same are delivered to and fed through the knives and anvils by the feed belts 206 and 20b.

Referring to FIG. 11, shaft 254 for the knives and shaft 256 for the anvil are interconnected by gears 258 and 260 and gear 260 is driven by a driving gear which is connected to fourth jack shaft 212 as clearly shown in FIG. 11.

Preferably, the gear 260 is slightly larger in diameter than gear 258, whereby the knives 210, which have serrated edges move circumferentially relative to the peripherys of the circular anvils 212 and thereby produce a certain amount of sawing action, in addition to the other virtues and functions of the serrated edge knives which are described in detail above and also in applicants copending application referred to above.

The second trimming unit also has supplemental discharge means in the form of a plurality of additional belts 264 which extends around idler pulleys 266 and drive pulleys 268 which are fixed to and are driven by shaft 250. They move at the same speed as the lower feed belts 208 and discharge the completely trimmed booklets onto any suitable means such as conveyor 270 which may be driven at an appropriate speed to convey the trimmed booklets to further operations such as packaging, or otherwise. If the conveyor 270 is moved at a slower speed than belts 264, for example, the trimmed booklets will be arranged shingled fashion upon the conveyor 270 if that is desirable. Otherwise, the conveyor 270 may move at the same speed as the belts 264, whereupon the booklets will be arranged in successive manner upon the conveyor 270.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, it also will be seen that vacuum ducts 272 and 274 may be provided adjacent the trimming knives and anvils for purposes of receiv ing trimmed scrap and immediately and promptly removing the same from the trimming operation. Appropriate duct means may connect the vacuum ducts 'to any suitable collecting means for scrap, many types of which are available.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a compact, high capacity trimming means for trimming all three sides of multi-page type pamphlets or booklets in which the pages are folded at one side and connected to form a conventional spine. The principal advantage of the machine is that it effects such trimming at press speed, eliminates trimming as a separate operation, remote from the press for example, and, preferably, it is actually driven by power derived directly from the press. Various control expedients are included in the machine such as by arranging for the booklets to be disposed in shingled fashion when initially received from the press and also when the first trimming unit discharges onto transfer conveyor means for passage to the second trimming unit, followed by rapid, sequential removal of the leading pamphlet of booklet in the shingled arrangement thereof ao as to feed the booklet in single arrangement to the trimming knives and anvils. However, in the event the booklets are ,of very limited number of pages, they may be handled in pairs or, as referred to in the printing trade, two up without unduly burdening the operation or trimming capacity of the machine.

The machine also is compactly arranged and, if desired, may be provided with suitable heavy casters 276 to permit limited portability, if desired, followed by operation of appropriate jacks 278, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, which are for purposes of disposing the machine at a desired level following the positioning thereof in operative relationship with respect to a press.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as illustrated and described.

I claim:

I. A machine for trimming the top and bottom sides and the side opposite the folded side of multi-sheet folded paper booklets at high speeds comprising in combination, a frame, feed conveyor means supported by said frame and having an inlet end adapted to be mounted adjacent the delivery end of a printing press upon which said booklets are printed and discharged therefrom in folded condition at a predetermined high press speed in a first direction, a first trimming unit on said frame adjacent the delivery end of said feed conveyor and having circular knife means provided with a toothed periphery coacting with a circular rotary anvil and adapted to edge-trim said booklets, means to drive said trimming unit, stop means positioned to be engaged by partially trimmed booklets discharged from said first trimming unit to stop movement thereof in said first direction, transfer conveyor means on said frame operable in a second direction transverse to said first direction of said feed conveyor and having one edge thereof aligned longitudinally in parallelism with said stop means, a second trimming unit on said frame aligned with said transfer conveyor to receive said partially trimmed booklets therefrom and trim the same sequentially and having knife and circular anvil means similar to those on said first trimming unit, means to drive said second trimming unit, discharge means for fully trimmed booklets adjacent the exit end of said second trimming unit, one of said trimming units having a single knife means and anvil to trim one side of booklets and the other trimming unit having a pair of cooperating knife means and anvils axially spaced to trim simultaneously the top and bottom sides of said booklets, said feed conveyor means and transfer conveyor means each comprising first and second sections respectively in longitudinally alignment with each other, means to drive the first section of each of said conveyors considered in the direction of movement of booklets thereby at a slower surface speed than the speed of the booklets as delivered thereto and thereby cause said booklets to become arranged in shingle fashion upon said first sections, and means to drive the second section of each of said conveyors at a speed substantially as high as press speed, thereby to space the successive leading booklets from the shingle arrange ment thereof for delivery thereof respectively from said feed conveyor means to said first trimming unit and from said transfer conveyor means to said second trimming unit, at least the upper surface of the receiving end of said first section of said transfer conveyor means being at a lower level than the level at which partially trimmed booklets are discharged from said first trimming unit to facilitate positioning of the partially trimmed booklets in shingle arrangement upon the first section of said transfer conveyor means.

2. The trimming machine according to claim 1 in which said first section of said transfer conveyor comprises a perforated belt supported by parallel rollers and having a suction head disposed beneath the upper course of said belt and operable to aid in assisting the delivery movement of booklets discharged from said first trimming unit and insure engagement thereof with said stop means, said suction means also insuring movement of said booklets in shingled position upon said perforated belt for discharge onto the first section of said transfer conveyor means.

3. The trimming machine according to claim 1 further including similar sets of belts having parallel opposing courses positioned substantially in the line of shear of said booklets by said circular knife means and rotary anvil means in said first and second trimming units, said parallel opposing courses extending respectively around rollers supported by the frame of said machine respectively at opposite ends of said courses and said courses being positioned and operable to receive in sequence individual booklets therebetween while moving past said knife and anvil means of said trimming units, thereby insuring position feeding of said I booklets relative to said knife and anvil shearing means along desired trimming lines, the axes of said rollers for said parallel opposing courses being parallel with each other but out of alignment perpendicularly to said parallel opposing courses.

4. The trimming machine according to claim 3 further including scooter belts supported by rollers and having lower courses thereon positioned to engage the upper surfaces of booklets as discharged from between said opposing belts of said first trimming unit, and said scooter belts having drive means operable at speeds slightly faster than the speed at which said booklets are discharged from between said opposed belts, thereby insuring downward and forward movement of said booklets from said first trimming unit.

5. The trimming machine according to claim 3 in which the upper belts of said opposed belts are provided with means driving the same at faster speed than the lower belts, thereby preventing upward movement of said booklets as discharged from said trimming units and producing a limited amount of sawing action between said booklets and the teeth of said knives.

6. The trimming machine according to claim 3 in which said feed conveyor means comprises endless flexible members having spaced pusher lugs to positively feed said booklets and means to drive said sets of belts at speed substantially greater than said feed conveyor to insure disengagement of said booklets from said pusher lugs.

7. The trimming machine according to claim 1 in which the single knife and anvil set of said one of said trimming units are respectively supported upon parallel shafts in cooperative relationship with each other and operable to trim the edge of booklets opposite the folded or bound edge thereof as the same moves sequentially through said one trimming unit, and said pair of cooperating knife and anvil sets of said other trimming unit which are axially spaced from each other having said knives supported upon one shaft and said pair of anvils being supported upon a second shaft parallel to said latter shaft, all of said knives in said sets having serrated edges.

means on a printing press, a first jack shaft, means connecting said first jack shaft respectively to said main drive shaft and first trimming unit, another jack shaft connected to said first trimming unit to derive power therefrom, another drive shaft, means connecting said another drive shaft to said another jack shaft, and means connecting said another jack shaft to said second trimming unit to drive the same in unison with said first trimming unit. 

1. A machine for trimming the top and bottom sides and the side opposite the folded side of multi-sheet folded paper booklets at high speeds comprising in combination, a frame, feed conveyor means supported by said frame and having an inlet end adapted to be mounted adjacent the delivery end of a printing press upon which said booklets are printed and discharged therefrom in folded condition at a predetermined high press speed in a first direction, a first trimming unit on said frame adjacent the delivery end of said feed conveyor and having circular knife means provided with a toothed periphery coacting with a circular rotary anvil and adapted to edge-trim said booklets, means to drive said trimming unit, stop means positioned to be engaged by partially trimmed booklets discharged from said first trimming unit to stop movement thereof in said first direction, transfer conveyor means on said frame operable in a second direction transverse to said first direction of said feed conveyor and having one edge thereof aligned longitudinally in parallelism with said stop means, a second trimming unit on said frame aligned with said transfer conveyor to receive said partially trimmed booklets therefrom and trim the same sequentially and having knife and circular anvil means similar to those on said first trimming unit, means to drive said second trimming unit, discharge means for fully trimmed booklets adjacent the exit end of said second trimming unit, one of said trimming units having a single knife means and anvil to trim one side of booklets and the other trimming unit having a pair of cooperating knife means and anvils axially spaced to trim simultaneously the top and bottom sides of said booklets, said feed conveyor means and transfer conveyor means each comprising first and second sections respectively in longitudinally alignment with each other, means to drive the first section of each of said conveyors considered in the direction of movement of booklets thereby at a slower surface speed than the speed of the booklets as delivered thereto and thereby cause said booklets to become arranged in shingle fashion upon said first sections, and means to drive the second section of each of said conveyors at a speed substantially as high as press speed, thereby to space the successive leading booklets from the shingle arrangement thereof for delivery thereof respectively from said feed conveyor means to said first trimming unit and from said transfer conveyor means to said second trimming unit, at least the upper surface of the receiving end of said first section of said transfer conveyor means being at a lower level than the level at which partially trimmed booklets are discharged from said first trimming unit to facilitate positioning of the partially trimmed booklets in shingle arrangement upon the first section of said transfer conveyor means.
 2. The trimming machine according to claim 1 in which said first section of said transfer conveyor comprises a perforated belt supported by parallel rollers and having a suction head disposed beneath the upper course of said belt and operable to aid in assisting the delivery movement of booklets discharged from said first trimming unit and insure engagement thereof with said stop means, said suction means also insuring movement of said booklets in shingled position upon said perforated belt for discharge onto the first section of said transfer conveyor means.
 3. The trimming machine according to claim 1 further including similar sets of belts having parallel opposing courses positioned substantially in the line of shear of said booklets by said circular knife means and rotary anvil means in said first and second trimming units, said parallel opposing courses extending respectively around rollers supported by the frame of said machine respectively at opposite ends of said courses and said courses being positioned and operable to receive in sequence individual booklets therebetween while moving past said knife And anvil means of said trimming units, thereby insuring position feeding of said booklets relative to said knife and anvil shearing means along desired trimming lines, the axes of said rollers for said parallel opposing courses being parallel with each other but out of alignment perpendicularly to said parallel opposing courses.
 4. The trimming machine according to claim 3 further including scooter belts supported by rollers and having lower courses thereon positioned to engage the upper surfaces of booklets as discharged from between said opposing belts of said first trimming unit, and said scooter belts having drive means operable at speeds slightly faster than the speed at which said booklets are discharged from between said opposed belts, thereby insuring downward and forward movement of said booklets from said first trimming unit.
 5. The trimming machine according to claim 3 in which the upper belts of said opposed belts are provided with means driving the same at faster speed than the lower belts, thereby preventing upward movement of said booklets as discharged from said trimming units and producing a limited amount of sawing action between said booklets and the teeth of said knives.
 6. The trimming machine according to claim 3 in which said feed conveyor means comprises endless flexible members having spaced pusher lugs to positively feed said booklets and means to drive said sets of belts at speed substantially greater than said feed conveyor to insure disengagement of said booklets from said pusher lugs.
 7. The trimming machine according to claim 1 in which the single knife and anvil set of said one of said trimming units are respectively supported upon parallel shafts in cooperative relationship with each other and operable to trim the edge of booklets opposite the folded or bound edge thereof as the same moves sequentially through said one trimming unit, and said pair of cooperating knife and anvil sets of said other trimming unit which are axially spaced from each other having said knives supported upon one shaft and said pair of anvils being supported upon a second shaft parallel to said latter shaft, all of said knives in said sets having serrated edges.
 8. The trimming machine according to claim 1 further including knock-down means positioned adjacent the discharge end of said first trimming unit and engageable successively with partially trimmed booklets as discharged from said first trimming unit to positively move the same downward onto said lower level of said upper surface of the first section of said transfer conveyor.
 9. The trimming machine according to claim 1 further including drive means for said machine comprising in combination, a main shaft connectable to drive means on a printing press, a first jack shaft, means connecting said first jack shaft respectively to said main drive shaft and first trimming unit, another jack shaft connected to said first trimming unit to derive power therefrom, another drive shaft, means connecting said another drive shaft to said another jack shaft, and means connecting said another jack shaft to said second trimming unit to drive the same in unison with said first trimming unit. 